Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling!
Harry Potter was only four feet away from the door to Hermione's office when none other than Draco Malfoy flew out, trailed by a bolt of light and several papers. But before Harry could see into Hermione's office, the door slammed shut.
"Malfoy?" Harry asked, going over to where he lay on the floor.
"I'm fine," Draco panted, getting up and dusting himself off. "You have a savage girlfriend."
The next thing Draco knew, he was pinned up against the wall by the Boy-Who-Lived.
"Don't you dare call Ginny savage or I'll curse you so bad that Astoria will be considered lesbian by marrying you," Harry hissed before letting go. When he did, Draco collected the scattered papers, then ran off.
Harry, still breathing heavily with anger, knocked on Hermione's door.
"Go away you pompous, haughty, ferret, b-"
"It's me, Ginny." Harry said, smiling slightly. He had been right to guess that Ginny would be with Hermione. She was, after all, Hermione's friend and Ron's sister, so she would know what was going on.
The door opened swiftly and Ginny leapt over to Harry and wrapped him into a tight embrace. It was all Harry could do to not kiss her in front of Hermione, who he could tell was watching them.
"What did you do to Malfoy?" Harry asked, once Ginny had let go.
"Oh, we just taught him a lesson," Ginny said innocently. "He goaded Hermione-"
"He goaded you?" Harry exclaimed, turning to Hermione. She nodded.
"What did you expect?" she said, smiling feebly. Harry noticed the hurt behind the smile and in her eyes. He quickly walked over to her and gave her a hug, though it was much more brotherly than the one he gave Ginny. Hermione soon started to sob on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Hermione," Harry said softly.
"Yeah," Ginny agreed. "My brother's a horrible git. You're better off without him."
Hermione's sobs soon stopped and she pulled away.
"What did Malfoy tell you, anyways?" Harry asked. "You've never been so worked up about anything he's said before."
"He took a stab at, you know, him," Ginny muttered. Harry, being not the smartest Auror, raised his eyebrow.
"Who?" he asked.
"Malfoy's least favourite person in Hogwarts, after you," Ginny said quietly. Harry was silent for a minute, thinking. Then realization hit him.
"Oh!" Harry exclaimed. "You mean Ro-," Ginny quickly slapped a hand over Harry's mouth, then turned to Hermione.
"You should take a break and go home, 'Mione," Ginny said gently. "You've had a rough day."
"But I still have work to do and my hours for today aren't up," Hermione protested, but she didn't seem too determined.
"Nah. You always work too hard and go overtime," Ginny stated. "Kingsley knows that. Heck, everybody knows that. I'm sure nobody'll give you a hard time over leaving early." Ginny smiled at Hermione, as did Harry. Hermione gave a weak smile and nodded.
"I'll just go inside and get my things," Hermione said, disappearing into her office and closing the door behind her. She quickly reappeared, carrying a briefcase and coat. Hermione then waved goodbye to her two friends and walked down the corridor.
When Harry and Ginny couldn't see their friend anymore, Ginny turned to Harry.
"I'm going to murder Ron once I'm home!" Ginny exclaimed. Harry nodded.
"Do you think I can stay for dinner?" Harry asked. "I think I'd rather like a turn at murdering Ron as well." Harry wrapped his arm around Ginny's waist and led her down the hall.
"Shall we use Sectumsempra or the Cruciatus curse?" Ginny asked innocently as they walked. Harry's eyes widened as he stared at his girlfriend. She seemed to be joking, but Harry could never be too sure. It was Ginny, after all. The girl who had spent most of her childhood around Fred and George Weasley.
"I would much prefer to just use Levicorpus," Harry admitted rather sheepishly., "I don't want Ron to hate me, or for him to get really hurt. Even if he did upset Hermione, he's still my friend."
"Well, I guess," Ginny mumbled. "I just can't believe he ended the engagement. And he did it all for Fay Dunbar."
Harry stopped and looked at Ginny. "You don't actually mean Fay Dunbar do you?"
"Yeah, I do mean Fay Dunbar," Ginny said, as the two began to walk again. "And before you ask, she started seeing Ron while still with Seamus. Ron did the same with 'Mione."
"For how long?"
"Two years, I think."
Harry swore. "How come I didn't notice?"
"Well, he did seem a bit happier during the time he was seeing Fay. And I guess we all thought he was happy because of Hermione, but…"
"Well, why did he propose to Hermione, if he was still seeing Fay?"
"I really don't know, but they, as in Fay and Ron, probably had a row or something. Then they made up after Ron proposed to Hermione, and then to Fay, and then, well, you know the rest."
"I honestly can't believe Ron would do that."
"Well, I'm not that happy either. Neither is Hermione. Oh, hello, Seamus,"
Seamus nodded at them. His eyes looked bloodshot, like he'd lost sleep, and he seemed fairly glum.
"Seamus isn't that happy, either," Ginny said under her breath as he passed. Harry and Ginny stopped once they reached Harry's office.
"Why did you visit Hermione again?" Harry asked before going inside.
"I just wanted to make sure she was okay," Ginny said. "I only found out this morning about the break up, when I saw Ron writing the letter."
"What does your mum think?"
"I don't think she knows yet. But when she does, she'll be furious," Ginny said brightly. "Hermione's like a daughter to her, and you know how much she loves her daughters." Ginny seemed rather happy at the prospect of a third Ron-killer, making Harry amused.
"Got to go," Harry mumbled, kissing Ginny on the top of her head before vanishing into his office.
Hermione closed and locked her flat's door behind her before placing her briefcase against the wall, hanging up her coat, and collapsing onto the couch, crying.
She had never expected this. Of course, she had suspected that Ron had been seeing someone behind her back after The Row, but for two years? And he even had the nerve to propose to that scarlet woman, after proposing to her? Hermione grabbed a pillow and threw it at the wall before stumbling out of the couch and into the bathroom.
He's not worth fretting about, Hermione thought. I shouldn't become some sort of layabout because of him. He's not worth it. I shouldn't be bothered. I should even be happy for the two of them. Yes, that's what I shall do. I'll be happy for them. After all, Ron did say that she was 'The One'. I'll just forget that he had told me the same thing when he proposed to me. Yup. I'll forget all those lies.
Hermione began to drag the comb through her hair violently; there was a stupid knot that wouldn't untangle itself. Hermione swore angrily, but not about the kink.
Hermione gave up on the tangle soon. She'd just have a go at it later, but right now, she would have a nap. It had been a tiring day after all. Not to mention a lousy day. And a rather depressing day as well.
Ginny came barging into the Burrow in the mood for some slaughter, the Boy-Who-Lived following as well, not as murderous-looking but still rather menacing.
"Where is that fucked-up cheater?" Ginny exclaimed. Molly Weasley jumped in surprise, then glared at her daughter.
"Don't you dare use that foul language!" Mrs. Weasley cried. "You may be of age but that doesn't mean-"
"He cheated on Hermione!" Ginny protested. Mrs. Weasley was suddenly silent and widened her eyes at her youngest child.
"Who?" Mrs. Weasley said quietly.
"Ron," Ginny said angrily.
Mrs. Weasley's mouth was set in a disbelieving grimace as she looked at Harry who glumly nodded, confirming Ginny's expletive.
"I see…" Mrs. Weasley said slowly. "With whom?"
"Fay Dunbar," Harry all but spat.
"Well," Mrs. Weasley began. "I'll have to straighten that boy out-"
"He already broke off his engagement with Hermione and is engaged to Dunbar now," Ginny reported heatedly.
"Oi! What's all the noise?" asked George Weasley as he came strolling into the kitchen. Ron was right behind him who, at the sight of Harry, grinned and waved and, at the sight of the livid Ginny, tried to double back.
"Not so fast, Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley barked. George looked at Harry and Ginny questioningly, then at Ron when the other two didn't answer.
"What's this I hear about you breaking off your engagement to Hermione and proposing to some Fiona Dumarre?" Mrs. Weasley inquired.
George looked at his younger brother, not in humour, but in incredulity. "You did what?" he asked.
"He broke off his engagement to Hermione and proposed to Dunbar," Harry replied for Ron, who glared at him in return.
"Fay Dunbar?" George asked. "The Auror fanatic?"
"Yup," Ginny replied.
"Isn't she a little, um, obsessive- er, clingy?" George asked.
"No," Ron muttered. He then addressed the entire lot of potential Ron-killers, "I broke it off with Hermione. You can't change that now, she'll just snuff me if I even talk to her, so just deal with it. 'Sides, I'm better off with Fay."
"You're better off with no one, you heart-breaking git," Ginny muttered darkly. Ron either didn't hear her or just ignored her. The latter was probably the truth.
"Fay's more like me, she understands me better," Ron said quietly. "And she's, well, I just feel right with her."
"What about Hermione?" Harry exclaimed, "You don't feel right with her? Last time I checked, the Deluminator led you to Hermione, not Fay!"
"It led me to both of you!"
"Well, it was dandy implied that it led you to Hermione, not me. I thought you loved her, Ron?"
"I do. Like a sister!"
"You didn't seem to love her that way since she went to the Yule Ball with Krum!"
"Don't you mention that bloke's name in front of me!"
"Why? Because he 'loves' her? Just like you?"
"He was seventeen and she was fourteen."
"Fifteen," Ginny interjected.
"Doesn't matter. He's still a pervert. And shut up, Ginny," Ron said.
"Don't you tell her to shut up!" Harry exclaimed.
"She's my sister, I will if I want to."
"Not if I don't want you!" Harry pulled out his wand and Ron did the same.
"Whoa!" George said, slipping into the line of fire. "Don't kill each other. Even though Ron deserves it, you can't just kill him."
"Why not?" Ginny cried. "He's a lying, cheating, git!"
"Just killing him won't help anyone," George said slyly. "You need to make him regret his actions. In a painful way and-"
"Boys and Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley yelled. "If anyone dies or is subject to pain, I'll multiply it on them so much that they'll prefer to snuff it than live!" Mrs. Weasley wasn't kidding and everyone could tell. Harry and Ron pocketed their wands, but continued to glare at each other.
"Now," Mrs. Weasley said exasperatedly, once all the wands were in their owners' pockets, "how about we settle this down in an adult fashion. Hm?" George nodded reluctantly and sat down at the kitchen table. Ron and Harry eventually but begrudgingly did the same. Ginny was last to sit.
"So why did you propose to this Fay person, Ron?" Mrs. Weasley asked coldly.
"I told you, she's The One," Ron muttered.
"You broke Hermione's heart!" Ginny screeched. Mrs. Weasley glared at Ginny, who promptly shut up.
"How did you tell her?" Mrs. Weasley asked coolly.
"He Owled her, I saw the letter myself," Ginny said. Ron glowered at Ginny.
"And what exactly did this letter say?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking directly at Ron.
Ron muttered something before using a Summoning Charm. A piece of parchment soon flew from upstairs and onto the middle of the kitchen table.
"Read it and weep," Ron said. Ginny glared at him before joining the others in reading.
Dear Hermione,
This is really important. I can't believe it either.
You know how you said it's important to just seize the day? Well, I did that when I proposed to you. Now I really regret it, realizing how rash I was.
I still love you, Hermione, but I've found someone new. Someone who not just understands but can relate to me. I'm really sorry and I'd rather not put you through this, but I have to.
You will always be one of my best friends, and I'll love you always. But I think it'd be best to end our engagement.
You deserve an explanation, so here goes.
I've been horribly lonely these past few years, ever since you started working at the Ministry. You always work overtime and are never around. So, two years ago, I started to see Fay. It was supposed to be just for a business thing, but it became… more. And then you and I had that horrible row. I thought we were done and over, so I began to see Fay fulltime. I just didn't tell you because I thought we still had a chance. Now I know what a horrible git I am.
I proposed to you because I thought I loved you more than Fay. I thought I even hated Fay, because we had just had a row that was worse than the one I had with you, but, well, she apologized and eventually, I did too. I began to hope that we could become friends, but it became more, like the last time. I guess Fay and I are just meant for each other.
I'd do anything to not tell you this; I just want you to be happy, but I can't not do this and I can't do this in a way that won't hurt you either. I'm really sorry and I understand if you hate me too much to forgive me.
-Ron
P.S. If it makes you feel better, Fay isn't so sure of marrying me anymore, because of what I did to you.
"I thought that growing up with Percy and Bill and Charlie, that you'd be somewhat decent," Ginny said, not looking at Ron. "But you're not decent. You're even worse than Mouldy Voldy himself." Ginny got up from her chair but before she left, she stopped and spoke once more, scowling at Ron. "And just so you know, the postscript won't make Hermione feel better. It'll just make her worse, by reminding her that you and Fay are getting married. Come on, Harry."
Harry obligingly got up, as did George. Mrs. Weasley looked once more at her youngest son disappointedly, before getting up as well and preparing dinner.
Apparently strikethroughs don't function on so I had to fix this. Again. Sorry for the confusion.
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